The wines speak for themselves... The grounds, ambiance and staff are first class! Jordan only makes chardonnay, very French....not oaky or buttery like most California chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Both are quite good. They have also started pressing their own olive oil.
The 2007 San Francisco International Wine Competition had 47 judges tasting 4,300 wines. After three days of sipping and spitting, the awards for Best Syrah/Shiraz, and Best of Show Red Wine, went to the 2004 Canihan syrah "Exuberance." It was the first commercial release of Bill Canihan's life, and his was judged the best red wine in the entire competition, which encompassed a galaxy of wines from all over the world.
Founded in 1996, DuMOL is committed to crafting highly nuanced, vineyard-focused Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from distinct sites in the cool-climate Russian River Valley. The winery is led by Winegrower and Partner Andy Smith, who oversees a small, experienced team dedicated to producing wines of depth, clarity, and elegance through meticulous attention to detail in both the vineyards and vintage-specific winemaking.
DuMOL operates on the belief that the best fertilizer is the footsteps of the farmer, and is devoted to maintaining a portfolio of estate and grower-partner vineyards primarily within a 10-mile radius. Building on over twenty-five years of experience, DuMOL also cultivates and produces small-lot Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, and Mencía from some of the finest vineyards in Sonoma and Napa.
The full range of DuMOL wines is available through allocations to the mailing list, with select offerings distributed to top restaurants worldwide.
Deux Amis {duh zah me}, French for "two friends," was a partnership between two close companions, Phyllis Zouzounis and Jim Penpraze. Throughout their time in the wine industry, the duo spent countless late nights unwinding over a glass of Zinfandel following busy days on the crush pad. These shared moments led the two friends to envision establishing their winery, a dream that ultimately materialized with the 1987 harvest. That year, Deux Amis yielded one hundred cases of Zinfandel sourced from a single vineyard in the Dry Creek Valley.
After 26 years of fruitful collaboration, the partnership evolved as Jim entered retirement and Phyllis continued to nurture their shared vision. Phyllis carried on the tradition of crafting exceptional wines, relying on the same vineyards, and maintaining strong bonds with growers through handshakes and long-term commitments. She wholeheartedly embraced the belief that great wines are born in the vineyard, ensuring that the Deux Amis legacy persevered through Zouzounis Wines.
The Rockpile Vineyard, at the northwestern end of Rockpile Road, is approximately 2000 feet above Lake Sonoma and Dry Creek Valley. Originally owned by Rod and Cathy Park, vines were planted as early as 1992, known as the kick off of the grape growing era. In late 2014, the Park family sold the 800 acre ranch to Ken and Diane Wilson, the beginning of the 10th winery being added to the family of Wilson Artisan Wines.
Originally planted with 25 acres of vines, (red Bordeaux varietals along with Syrah and Petite Sirah) by Rod and Cathy Park, Rockpile Ranch is 100% sustainably farmed, and solar power is used for all farming operations and dwellings. Now, this beautiful mountaintop vineyard has 60 acres of planted vines producing Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah & Cabernet Sauvignon of elegance & complexity made by Diane Wilson, Antoine Favero and Chris Barrett.
A single vineyard estate that produces an ultra premium pinot noir from their 10,000 vines planted on 1.75 acres. Cloud Rest is situated at a lofty 1250 ft. on Sonoma Mountain in the Sonoma Coast AVA. Cloud Rest believes bottle aging their Pinot Noir for a minimum of 3 years, after resting in French Oak for 1 1/2- 2 years is the right thing to do before releasing it. Cloud Rest just recently added a Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Cloud Rest's goal is to consistently produce world class wines that make great memories.
Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery is known for their Pinot's, but I was very impressed with their Chardonnay's. We really liked the Zinfandel they were pouring as well.
This winery is situated in a cave, which makes the wine tasting experience a little different, but pretty cool. Everyone was really nice. Like a lot of wineries, they charge $10 for a tasting fee, but at Bella you get to do much more than just sampling wine. The tasting tour began with the pairing of a Rosé with some portuguese sausage and some friend plantains. You then proceed to the wine caves, which were filled with live Spanish guitar music.
We found them in the Sonoma Wineries listing and saw that tasting was by appointment only..we didn't know that it was out of date and that there was an official tasting room...anyway, we made the appt and got lost trying to get there. We happened to see a man doing some work in a barn/garage and asked his help to find the winery. He told us we found it. Turns out the winery was in the barn, he was the winemaker, and the tasting was done on the porch. Talk about a beautiful setting to taste wine. The hills, the vineyards, the babydoll sheep...yes, sheep. Forth uses babydoll sheep instead of herbicides. Very environmentally friendly.
In the heart of Sonoma County, this small, family-owned winery offers a remarkable portfolio for wine lovers drawn to California's unique wine country experience. Specializing in old-vine, vineyard-designated Zinfandels and red Rhône and Spanish varieties—including Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Petite Sirah—their wines capture the character and depth of these heritage grapes. They also produce three distinctive white wines, two of which are crafted from historic, old-vine vineyards, alongside Sonoma County’s first-ever Grüner Veltliner.
Committed to bold, intensely flavored wines that reflect both their vintage and vineyard origins, the winery’s approach emphasizes balance, complexity, and nuance. Each bottle embodies their philosophy of doing just enough to enhance the fruit’s natural qualities while striving to deliver exceptional, accessible wines at a fair price.
